The sun dawned cloudy and troubled, glowing faintly behind a thick veil of
shadowy clouds. A zephyr whistled across the craggy plain, stirring motes
of loose red dust and forcing the hollow, rotting wooden skeleton of
Sauron's famous Pits to whine and groan under the strain. Huddling in tight-
knit groups in vain effort to stay warm, three groups moved into position,
awaiting tensely for the whispered command.
Crimson stood, framed in a glass-devoid mullein window, the zephyr filling
his robes. To his back were twelve Charraps, anxiously shifting from foot
to foot, awaiting word from their leader. Crimson smiled into the cruel
northern wind, hardly glancing down where the broken body of a Charrap lay.
He had decided the Frildur threat wasn't entirely over, but perhaps the spiteful death would damper his troops' spirits. Certainly his had. Upon the very lifting of night's cloak, Crimson sent a messenger to rouse all troops from the barracks, and lead them to the keep courtyard. Positioned at his window, the fourteen Charraps behind him, he had viewed the huddled masses below, conversing in hushed tones. Crimson had smiled, smiled darkly and broadly. How he was going to enjoy this. "Farthest right, come here. Come to your master." He hissed suddenly, his voice barely above a whisper. All the Charraps turned as one to stare at the Charrap in question. The Chareuset standing to Frildur's right stood, as if carved of marble, rigidly in a mixture of shock and horror. "You heard me. Get over here." Crimson's calm voice spoke again. The soldier glanced desperately at his comrades, pleading silently for backup. "Get you ass over here, nimrod!" Shouted Crimson suddenly, his sharp voice echoing and rervberating against the stone chamber. His whole body trembling uncontrollably, the Charrap edged forward, wringing his hands in terror. "Y-Yes?" "Get over here to my side." Crimson's dangerously soft, calm tone poisoned the harmless statement. The Charrap stumbled forward, hardly aware of where his feet were leading to, his eyes, wide with unspeakable dread behind the gauzy veil. Crimson, not looking down at the man beside him, continued to stare out to the forlorn horizon. "See that point way out there?" The Charrap squinted, trying hard to maintain a control over his voice. "Y- Yes. Y-Yes sir." "Go get it." The Charrap stared at his master's impassive face. "W-What, sir?" "I said go get it." "Umm, o-okay." He turned to leave when an icy-cold hand, long and slender landed on his shoulder. "You aren't leaving my side." "But how am I to get it without leaving your side?" The Charrap asked, perplexed. Crimson's lips curled into a malicious smile. "Think." The Charrap stared out the gapping window. "P-Perhaps I could use a parachute to go down there, and go get it." "Good plan. Do it." The Charrap glanced around the room, relieved of the simple task. "Um, there aren't any canvas cloths here, sir. How am I-" "You don't need a parachute. I think your robes would be fine." The Charrap began to tremble uncontrollably again, his inevitable fate facing him. For the first time thus far, Crimson turned to stare at him, with haunting large black eyes, boring into his very soul. "Don't you agree?" He asked, very calmly, his pale, skeletal face impassive. The Charrap could only manage a strangled gurgle. Crimson smiled thinly. "Good. Than jump!" In one deft movement, Crimson lunged out a hand, clamping it around the Charrap's neck, and wrenching the unfortunate man to the sill. Whirling him around, the balls of the man's feet just barely scraping the sill, Crimson hissed in his face, his round black eyes glowing with maddened triumph. "Let these be the last words your damned ears shall hear: Whoever plots behind my back, knowing it, but mayhap not partaking, dies. Dies with my laughter ringing in their ears." Crimson laughed harshly in his face, shoving the white-faced man over the edge, so as Crimson's iron grip around his jugular was the only thing separating him from the oblivial void. He gurgled in panic, hands flying up to Crimson's, when he released. He hung there for a fraction of a second, before screaming a blood-curdling cry, and dropping like a lead weight, down, down, down.the crowd below was suddenly silent, as if stricken mute, thousands of eyes turning up to view the Charrap's decent. The hapless man failed his arms in a morbid parody of a flightless bird, before. He came to earth with a sickening crunch, twitched once, and lay still. Crimson grinned at the mere memory, still eyeing the corpse below. "Let this be a lesson to you all! Whoever crosses Crimson will die! Now listen, and listen well, for if this plan flaws, innocent men will find themselves at hell's gates afore the plea for their life passes their lips! Mount double wall guard, the rest of the force positioned at the main gate. Remember; kill all who attempt to breach the walls! Station the boiling oil and rubble at each tenth parapet!" Crimson paused in his speech, musing maliciously over the words. "And all of you, remember the fool Sawney will burst through using the postern gate. Kill him IMMEDIATELY. Now get going!" Crimson whirled around, and snarled, "You're all dismissed. Take your squadrons and instruct them to their designated positions. Leave none alive at all costs."
Frildur led his task force to the west wall, still forcing down the surprise of the Charrap commander's wanton death. So, Crimson knew. Crimson made the hapless man an example. Too bad I don't give a damn to what happens to them. Mad Eyes thought, leaping onto the battlements. "Listen up and listen good. We can still take the castle. The plan still will be done. All of you do as you're instructed, or answer to me." Frildur paused to let his words sink through. "Once Sawney gets in, leave the others to kill him. We've lost many men to fear, but that's good. I won't have cowards and idiots carrying out my plans. Succeed in beheading Crimson, and I will reward you." Grinning inwardly at the looks of foolish glee dawned on each face, Frildur leapt off the battlement, drawing his rapier in a flash of blue steel. "Let's- what the.?!" Just as the rapier caught the poor light filtering from the heavens, a red-fletched arrow struck the point, bouncing off and landing harmlessly at Frildur's feet. The war of which the lives of thousands teetered on had begun.
Before she had notched the arrow in, taken careful aim at a red-robed figure standing like a beacon fire atop a battlement, Astenfire chewed her lip, her mind riddled with worry. Not with the outcome of the inevitable war ahead, not for the safety of the young maiden Serena, who was still figuring the layout of a keen-edged dirk, and certainly not of her own well-being. Sagitar. What a damn, stupid, awful, desperately wonderful fool. Astenfire, unable to sleep camped in the shadow of Castle Iye, lay awake, staring upward at the clouding heavens. "Astenfire?" She jerked up, hands flying to the bow at her side. "Oh," Her heart deflated and exploded into shards instantaneously. "Hello, Sagitar." Her tongue stumbled around the name, all-too aware of the scarlet tinting her cheeks. Sagitar raised an eyebrow as he came to sit beside her, his round deep green eyes locking on to hers. "Can't sleep?" "No." Even before the word slipped out, she knew it sounded hasty and incomplete. "I guess I'm just nervous about storming a castle when we're hopelessly outnumbered." She elaborated, hoping she sounded genuine. "We have the dragon." Sagitar said with a thin smile. Astenfire began to chew her lip again. Her heart began to throb harder in her throat when Sagitar leaned towards her, propped on his elbows, his emerald eyes imploring. "Yeah, yeah I guess Moony is an added bonus." She shivered involuntarily, even though the night was relatively warm. She glanced down at Sagitar, whose eyes were clouded in thought. "What are you thinking?" Astenfire asked, attempting to keep conversation light. It took a few minutes for Sagitar to answer, in which he sat up, questioning the winking stars above. "I don't know." He said quietly, his glassy eyes still positioned upward. "You." Astenfire's heart stopped. "W-What?" Realizing how stupidly the word hung in the air, she added, "What were you thinking about me?" Sagitar smiled, bringing down his gaze to lock Astenfire eye-to-eye. "You. Just you, and how kind you have been to me, when all others labeled me untrustworthy. And I thank you. Matthias too." In the still night that followed, Colette grunted and flipped over in her sleep, snuggling deeper into Aragorn's chest. "I did what I thought was right. Was I?" Sagitar grinned. "Decide for yourself." Astenfire's head shot up in surprise, just as Sagitar leaned down. Astenfire's mind, memory and entire mortal being dissolved. A warm, foamy wave washed over her, soaking her heart in blissful tepidness. Sagitar slowly removed his lips from hers, grinning mischievously. "And?" "And what?" "Do you regret befriending me?" "Decide for yourself." Astenfire said, returning the grin and parry, her arms entwining themselves around Sagitar's neck. Ah, the gift of Eros.
He had decided the Frildur threat wasn't entirely over, but perhaps the spiteful death would damper his troops' spirits. Certainly his had. Upon the very lifting of night's cloak, Crimson sent a messenger to rouse all troops from the barracks, and lead them to the keep courtyard. Positioned at his window, the fourteen Charraps behind him, he had viewed the huddled masses below, conversing in hushed tones. Crimson had smiled, smiled darkly and broadly. How he was going to enjoy this. "Farthest right, come here. Come to your master." He hissed suddenly, his voice barely above a whisper. All the Charraps turned as one to stare at the Charrap in question. The Chareuset standing to Frildur's right stood, as if carved of marble, rigidly in a mixture of shock and horror. "You heard me. Get over here." Crimson's calm voice spoke again. The soldier glanced desperately at his comrades, pleading silently for backup. "Get you ass over here, nimrod!" Shouted Crimson suddenly, his sharp voice echoing and rervberating against the stone chamber. His whole body trembling uncontrollably, the Charrap edged forward, wringing his hands in terror. "Y-Yes?" "Get over here to my side." Crimson's dangerously soft, calm tone poisoned the harmless statement. The Charrap stumbled forward, hardly aware of where his feet were leading to, his eyes, wide with unspeakable dread behind the gauzy veil. Crimson, not looking down at the man beside him, continued to stare out to the forlorn horizon. "See that point way out there?" The Charrap squinted, trying hard to maintain a control over his voice. "Y- Yes. Y-Yes sir." "Go get it." The Charrap stared at his master's impassive face. "W-What, sir?" "I said go get it." "Umm, o-okay." He turned to leave when an icy-cold hand, long and slender landed on his shoulder. "You aren't leaving my side." "But how am I to get it without leaving your side?" The Charrap asked, perplexed. Crimson's lips curled into a malicious smile. "Think." The Charrap stared out the gapping window. "P-Perhaps I could use a parachute to go down there, and go get it." "Good plan. Do it." The Charrap glanced around the room, relieved of the simple task. "Um, there aren't any canvas cloths here, sir. How am I-" "You don't need a parachute. I think your robes would be fine." The Charrap began to tremble uncontrollably again, his inevitable fate facing him. For the first time thus far, Crimson turned to stare at him, with haunting large black eyes, boring into his very soul. "Don't you agree?" He asked, very calmly, his pale, skeletal face impassive. The Charrap could only manage a strangled gurgle. Crimson smiled thinly. "Good. Than jump!" In one deft movement, Crimson lunged out a hand, clamping it around the Charrap's neck, and wrenching the unfortunate man to the sill. Whirling him around, the balls of the man's feet just barely scraping the sill, Crimson hissed in his face, his round black eyes glowing with maddened triumph. "Let these be the last words your damned ears shall hear: Whoever plots behind my back, knowing it, but mayhap not partaking, dies. Dies with my laughter ringing in their ears." Crimson laughed harshly in his face, shoving the white-faced man over the edge, so as Crimson's iron grip around his jugular was the only thing separating him from the oblivial void. He gurgled in panic, hands flying up to Crimson's, when he released. He hung there for a fraction of a second, before screaming a blood-curdling cry, and dropping like a lead weight, down, down, down.the crowd below was suddenly silent, as if stricken mute, thousands of eyes turning up to view the Charrap's decent. The hapless man failed his arms in a morbid parody of a flightless bird, before. He came to earth with a sickening crunch, twitched once, and lay still. Crimson grinned at the mere memory, still eyeing the corpse below. "Let this be a lesson to you all! Whoever crosses Crimson will die! Now listen, and listen well, for if this plan flaws, innocent men will find themselves at hell's gates afore the plea for their life passes their lips! Mount double wall guard, the rest of the force positioned at the main gate. Remember; kill all who attempt to breach the walls! Station the boiling oil and rubble at each tenth parapet!" Crimson paused in his speech, musing maliciously over the words. "And all of you, remember the fool Sawney will burst through using the postern gate. Kill him IMMEDIATELY. Now get going!" Crimson whirled around, and snarled, "You're all dismissed. Take your squadrons and instruct them to their designated positions. Leave none alive at all costs."
Frildur led his task force to the west wall, still forcing down the surprise of the Charrap commander's wanton death. So, Crimson knew. Crimson made the hapless man an example. Too bad I don't give a damn to what happens to them. Mad Eyes thought, leaping onto the battlements. "Listen up and listen good. We can still take the castle. The plan still will be done. All of you do as you're instructed, or answer to me." Frildur paused to let his words sink through. "Once Sawney gets in, leave the others to kill him. We've lost many men to fear, but that's good. I won't have cowards and idiots carrying out my plans. Succeed in beheading Crimson, and I will reward you." Grinning inwardly at the looks of foolish glee dawned on each face, Frildur leapt off the battlement, drawing his rapier in a flash of blue steel. "Let's- what the.?!" Just as the rapier caught the poor light filtering from the heavens, a red-fletched arrow struck the point, bouncing off and landing harmlessly at Frildur's feet. The war of which the lives of thousands teetered on had begun.
Before she had notched the arrow in, taken careful aim at a red-robed figure standing like a beacon fire atop a battlement, Astenfire chewed her lip, her mind riddled with worry. Not with the outcome of the inevitable war ahead, not for the safety of the young maiden Serena, who was still figuring the layout of a keen-edged dirk, and certainly not of her own well-being. Sagitar. What a damn, stupid, awful, desperately wonderful fool. Astenfire, unable to sleep camped in the shadow of Castle Iye, lay awake, staring upward at the clouding heavens. "Astenfire?" She jerked up, hands flying to the bow at her side. "Oh," Her heart deflated and exploded into shards instantaneously. "Hello, Sagitar." Her tongue stumbled around the name, all-too aware of the scarlet tinting her cheeks. Sagitar raised an eyebrow as he came to sit beside her, his round deep green eyes locking on to hers. "Can't sleep?" "No." Even before the word slipped out, she knew it sounded hasty and incomplete. "I guess I'm just nervous about storming a castle when we're hopelessly outnumbered." She elaborated, hoping she sounded genuine. "We have the dragon." Sagitar said with a thin smile. Astenfire began to chew her lip again. Her heart began to throb harder in her throat when Sagitar leaned towards her, propped on his elbows, his emerald eyes imploring. "Yeah, yeah I guess Moony is an added bonus." She shivered involuntarily, even though the night was relatively warm. She glanced down at Sagitar, whose eyes were clouded in thought. "What are you thinking?" Astenfire asked, attempting to keep conversation light. It took a few minutes for Sagitar to answer, in which he sat up, questioning the winking stars above. "I don't know." He said quietly, his glassy eyes still positioned upward. "You." Astenfire's heart stopped. "W-What?" Realizing how stupidly the word hung in the air, she added, "What were you thinking about me?" Sagitar smiled, bringing down his gaze to lock Astenfire eye-to-eye. "You. Just you, and how kind you have been to me, when all others labeled me untrustworthy. And I thank you. Matthias too." In the still night that followed, Colette grunted and flipped over in her sleep, snuggling deeper into Aragorn's chest. "I did what I thought was right. Was I?" Sagitar grinned. "Decide for yourself." Astenfire's head shot up in surprise, just as Sagitar leaned down. Astenfire's mind, memory and entire mortal being dissolved. A warm, foamy wave washed over her, soaking her heart in blissful tepidness. Sagitar slowly removed his lips from hers, grinning mischievously. "And?" "And what?" "Do you regret befriending me?" "Decide for yourself." Astenfire said, returning the grin and parry, her arms entwining themselves around Sagitar's neck. Ah, the gift of Eros.